This Boxing Day heralds the publication of my first-ever essay on Mugglenet, Christmas Sweaters and Boxing Day Reconciliation.
Wishing all who celebrated Nativity yesterday a peaceful day-after. Watch your mimosa intake and avoid sending unwanted photographs.
Great insights! Congratulations on the publication.
Louise, I’m only surprised that this wonderful and insightful article is your first with MuggleNet. Thank you! I love being reminded of Ron’s return and icy rescue as Harry feels the weight of having lost everything dear and seemingly essential to managing the daunting task still before him. I never thought of Molly’s sweaters as having such notable significance as you have pointed out.
It occurred to me there might be other allusions. Dumbledore’s gift to Ron enabled Ron to find Harry and the subsequent renewal of faith in the headmaster was like food in the traditional alms box. Both Harry and Ron take a Boxing Day dip, a sort of baptism into a renewed decision to believe. Through Snape’s clandestine but steadfast loyalty, Dumbledore was also able to actuate a gift he meant for Harry to have, the sword Scrimgeour refused to pass on to Harry. Harry in turn was learning to hold such things loosely as he insisted Ron should wield it against the horcrux.
Ron even had an extra wand. Not a very good one but combined with the restoration of Ron to the mission (“are you mental?”) and faith in Dumbledore’s power to know what was needed and then deliver it was just the thing. Harry’s deliverance was comprehensive.
But it all began with Molly’s sweater gifts, not a gift coming from wealth and status to the poor and lowly, but as you point out Louise, a motherly gift born of love and weighted with the warmth of belonging.
Sandy,
Thank you so much for your kind words. John has called the Silver Doe/Frozen Pond scene one of Rowling’s finest pieces of writing; there has been a lot said about it. I’m glad people thought my perspective was a worthy addition.